The present invention relates to folding knives, and more particularly to knives having a blade or other implement movable between open and closed positions with one hand, i.e., the hand holding the knife.
Folding knives, also known as pocket knives, include one or more blades or other implements which are movable about a pivot axis between open and closed positions relative to a casing in the form of a handle portion of the knife. In most folding knife designs, the casing is held in one hand while the blade or implement is moved with the other hand. In some designs, such as so-called switch blades, a spring biases the blade, and effects movement thereof, to the -1S open position in response to manual manipulation of a release mechanism, normally by the hand holding the knife. Other examples of folding knife designs wherein blade movement is effected by the hand holding the knife may be found in applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,719,700 and 5,495,674.
The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved folding knife wherein the blade or other implement may be moved between open and closed positions with respect to the casing by manipulation performed with the hand holding the knife.